Folding table.



W. M. WEBSTER.

FOLDING TABLE.- APPEICATION FILED on. 26. 1916.

Patented Nov. 27, 1917.

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WILLARD IVL WEBSTER, 0F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

FOLDING TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2?, 1%1W.

Application filed October 26, 1916. Serial No. 127,789.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLARD M. VVEBsTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Folding Tables, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tables which may be folded for storage, transportation or the like; and it is an object of this invention to provide a light and strong table structure which will occupy a very small space when folded; and a table structure which is simple and inexpensive in construction and manufacture. i

To accomplish these objects I provide a folding structure comprising two pairs of folding legs spaced apart and held in proper relative position by diagonal braces. These diagonal braces are located in intersecting planes when the table is in use; but when the legs of each pair are folded together the braces are moved into a common plane. After the braces are moved into a common plane, then the two pairs of folded legs may be folded together to make a compact bundle. These features of my invention will be best understood from the following description of a specific form of device embodying the invention. Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which said specific form of device is illustrated.

In these drawings Figure 1 is an end elevation of my folding table Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is an end elevation showing the parts partially folded; Fig. & is an end elevation showing the parts folded down flatly upon the floor or ground; Fig. 5 is a plan showing the positions of the parts when they are folded down flatly as shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail section taken as indicated by line 66 on Fig. 1; and Fig. 7 is a detail section taken as in dicated by line 77 on Fig. 1.

I utilize two pairs of legs, 5 and 6, and 5 and 6. The legs of each pair are pivoted together at 7, somewhat closer to their bottom than to their top ends. I have shown the legs pivoted together by a pivot pin passing through both, the legs lying sidewise against each other, and not quite in a common plane; but the legs of each pair may, without changing my invention, be pivoted in i any of the well known manners. 4 Each of the legs 5 and 5" carries a top bar pivoted to the leg at 9; and each of these top bars has a diagonal notch or slot 10 in its free end adapted to slip over a pinll in the upper end of leg- 6 or 6. Leg 6 or 6 is the inner leg of each pair, but it will be noted that the two legs 6 and 6 are in planes crossing each other, and the same is true of the two legs 5 and 5. Pins 11 are provided with a hollow lock nut15 which is in effect a spacer to space the bar 8 out from the leg 6 or 6 a distance equal to the thickness of leg 5. Notches 10 are cut at an angle that down ward pressure upon the bars 8, which would tation. The top bars 8 have each a pair of upwardly projecting pins 23, adapted to enter apertures 24 in the slats 21 to hold the table top against horizontal movement. The specific construction of the table top and its mounting upon the table frame is not a material feature of my invention, beyond the fact that the top prevents the opposite pairs of legs from moving relatively in the manner indicated by the arrows in' Fig. '2. The leg structure is rigid in all directions except as to movement of the upper ends of the leg pairs toward or away from each other; and the top prevents this movement.

Two braces 30 and 30* are used to space the leg pairs apart and hold them in proper relative position. Each of the braces 30 and 30 is attached at 31 to the upper end of legs 6,6 respectively and at 32 to the leg 5, 5, of the other pair. For instance, the brace 30 is attached at 31 to the upper end of legs 6 and at 32 to the lower part of leg, 5 closely below the pivot 7. It will benoted that legs 6 and 5 are in the same plane, while legs 5 and 6? are in the sameplane; so that the brace 30 attached to legs 6 and 5 lie substantially in the same plane as these two legs; while the brace 30*, attached at 31 to the upper end of leg 6 and 32 to the lower part of leg 5, lies substantially in the plane of those two legs. The two braces thus normally lie in planes intersecting each other, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1, and therefore effectively brace the two pairs of legs and hold them rigidly in their proper positions. However, when the table frame is folded, the braces are brought into a common plane; and their attachments at 3'1 and 32 being pivotal, the braces may be then folded together, as will be hereinafter ex plained.

When it is desired to fold the table, the top 20 is first taken off and the top bars 8 are lifted at their free ends to disengage them from their pins 11. It will be noted then be swung slightly outwardly on top as indicated by arrows in Fig. 2 and the legs will then be moved upwardly off their engagements with the braces. The legs of each pair may then be moved inwardly toward each other to disengage the bar 8. The legs ofeach pair are then spread apart at their upper ends; the legs, in effect, being merely flattened down'onto the floor surface. The parts first assume the positions shown in Fig. 3, moving in the directions indicated by the arrows in that figure. The top bars are moved down in the directions indicated until they lie alongside the legs 5 to which they are pivotally attached. The legs 5 and 6 of each pair are then folded farther down until the legs of each pair have moved into a common horizontal plane.

The parts are then in the relative positions shown in Figs. 4 and 5; and the legs and braces then lie all in a horizontal plane in the position shown in Fig. 5. The connections at 31 and 32 being pivotal, the device may then be easily folded together by moving the parts in the directions indicated by the arrows, bringing the two sets of legs up against each other, the two braces 30 and 30 thenlying against and parallel to each other. I

From the foregoing the simplicity of my table structure is readily seen. The framing involves only eight major parts'four legs, two braces and two top bars. The diagonal relations of the braces and their capability of being moved into a common plane by the folding movements of the legs of each pair, are features of this invention. It may be noted that the braces may be put in another position and still effect substantially the same result as described; that is, each brace tion from those shown. braces makes not only for simplicity of can be pivoted above to a leg 5 and below to a leg 6, simply reversingthe diagonal posi- The use of only two structure and operation but also allows good leg room for persons sitting up tothe table. I

Having described a preferred form of my invention, I claim:"-

1. In combination, two pairs of crossed legs pivoted together and standing substantially in parallel vertical planes, each leg of each pair being parallel to a leg of the other pair, a top attached to the upper ends of the legs, and a pair only of diagonal onepiece braces, one brace bei'ngpivotally attached at its upper end to the. upper part of one leg of one'pair and at'its lower end to the lower part of the" parallel leg of the other pair, and the other brace being pivotally attached at its upper end to'the upper part ofthe other leg ofthe second mentioned pair and at its lower end to the lower part of the'parallel leg of the first mentioned pair; each brace being pivoted to each leg to swing relatively to said leg in the plane of that leg and ofthe'brace.

QQIn combination, two pairs of crossed legs pivoted together and'standing substantially in parallel vertical planes, eachleg of each pair being parallel to aleg of the other pair, top bars pivotally attached to the upper ends of one legof each pair, a pin on the upper end of each of the other legs, the top bars having notches to fit over the pins, said notches extending upwardly from the under sides of the bars and away from their pivoted ends, a top mounted on the top bars, and a pair only .of diagonal one-piece braces, one brace beingpivotally attached at its upper end to the upper part of one leg of one pair and at its lower end to the lower part. of the parallel leg of the other pair, and the other brace being piv otally attached at its upper end to theupper part of the other leg of the second mentioned pair and at its lower end to the lower part ofthe parallel legof the first mentioned pair; each brace being pivoted to each leg to swing relatively to saidleg in the plane of that leg and of the brace.

In witness'that I 'claimthe. foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 21st Witnesses p James T. BARKELEVV, ELwoon H. BARKELEW.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Batents, Washington, D. 9. 

